92 Atmospherical Phcenomena In the River St. Laurence. 



a few drops of rain falling ; winds high and variable, chiefly from 

 the eastward, and throngh the day carrying all sail. The sails 

 however of very little use, from a very heavy sAvell of the sea from 

 the westward, which rendered the pitching of the ship very great, 

 and nearly endangered the carrying away the masts and yards ; 

 towards evening the s\^■clI abating ; during the day thedouds 

 -appeared to be coming with great rapidity from the northward. 

 Horizon and atmosphere thick and hazy ; at night the dark- 

 ness excessive, and the masts and rigging scarcely visible from 

 deck. About 9 P.M. a sort of dust or ashes commenced falling, 

 and continued during the night. Towards the morning the 

 whole atmosphere appeared red and fiery to a wonderful degree, 

 and the moon then at the full not visible, and the appearance 

 through the cabin windows and crystal lights on the deck sin- 

 gidar in the extreme, as if surrounded by a mass of fire. The 

 sea sparkling much, and in a manner not usual in these latitudes. 



"At half past seven in the morning, candles lighted in the ca- 

 bin, and the hour by a watch at nine, scarcely visible ; the flame 

 of the candle burning of a bright blueish-white colour; and the 

 fire in the cook house the same ; the wind dying away to a 

 dead cairn. Towards noon to-day the atmosphere resumed 

 something of its natural a])pcarance, and the sun visible, but red 

 and fiery, as in the winter season, as if seen through the 

 darkened glass of a quadrant ; and by degrees becoming more 

 of a yellow colour. Weather hazy and sultry, a dead calm, and 

 the sea scarcely agitated ; — the sea covered with ashes, and a 

 bucket of water taken up appeared nearly as black as writing 

 ink, from the quantity of ashes which had fallen ; *they appeared 

 as if those of burnt wood, and not of a heavy sandy nature ; a 

 strong smell perceptible in the air, and violent head-ache com- 

 plained of by many on board. 



" Not having a thermometer on board, the temperature could 

 not be observed: it did not, although close and sultry at times, 

 appear to be remarkable for the season of the year. ' Number^ 

 of small birds flying about, seemingly much "disturbed. The 

 darkness at 8 A.ivl. to-day, as great as is usual in London in 

 the month of December at the same hour. 



" From the darkness during the night, the seamen were obliged 

 to use lanterns v/ilh candles on deck to conduct the navigation- 

 of the ship. 



" Longitude 65° 48' west, and latitude 49^ 49' N. 



'Mth July. — This day the ashes falling in a small quantity; 

 and the darkness last night excessive again, so much so that the 

 hand could not be observed while touching the face ; at half 

 past 3 P.M. scarcely able to see the hour by a watch. 



" The ashes collected on deck appear to be those of burnt wood, 



darker 



